Clay County ballpark maintenance costsClay County spends about $1.53 million annually to maintain its 47 public parks and recreation facilities including 14 with either baseball/softball, football or soccer fields. Local athletic associations assist the county Parks and Recreation Department with upkeep and improvements at many of the ballparks.

Because of budget and manpower constraints, the county prioritizes the repair work at all its recreation facilities.

Typical repairs include playground equipment, tennis or basketball courts, fencing, irrigation, lighting, plumbing, carpentry, electrical, roofing, and heating and air conditioning. In addition, there is mowing and other grounds maintenance.

Here’s a snapshot of the ballpark maintenance costs from Feb. 1, 2012 through Feb. 13, 2013.

- $32,472: Omega Park and Playground in Middleburg, offers baseball, football and cheerleading.

Big League Dreams wants to build five fields and a pavilion in Middleburg.

The roof of the concession stand at Tanglewood Park in Orange Park awaits repair. Expected to be done later this year, the estimated $6,000 project is among those planned by the Clay County Parks and Recreation Department.

More coverage

More resources

ORANGE PARK - Representatives pitching a multimillion-dollar mega ballpark complex in Clay County are looking to hit a home run with the County Commission’s Economic Development Committee on Monday after striking out with some county tourism officials last week.

Big League Dreams, a national sports facility developer, wants to build a complex with five fields and a multisport pavilion to host league and tournament play in Middleburg. The Clay County Development Authority would own the complex and hire Big League Dreams to run it. A development authority consultant proposes the county pay the estimated $16 million to $19 million project cost.

County Auditor Mike Price has estimated $25 million for the construction and related costs. Price also has said it could take 75 to 125 years for the Clay project to pay for itself.

The consultant projects the complex would bring in $10 million in visitor spending during the first year, and create about 2,700 new jobs by the 10th year.

But the project has skeptics.

County Commissioner Ronnie Robinson questions the need for the facility, and has opposed it since inception. Several county Tourist Development Council members challenge the viability of the project. They cite the lack of specifics about the operating costs, financing and its potentially negative impact on county resources.

Residents have mixed feelings about the complex planned for a 35-acre tract east of Branan Field-Chaffee Road and north of Old Jennings Road. The complex would be open and free to the public as a park when not in use for league or tournament play, according to the plan.

Sandy Coffey of Orange Park notes that neighboring Jacksonville is fighting to get the type of national sports tournaments it wants. It appears Clay would be taking all the risk while Big League Dreams would get all the profits from the venture, she said.

“I do not think that Clay County would be wise to take on millions of dollars of debt for such a risky enterprise,” Coffey said. “I firmly believe that if this project is indeed a strong investment, private money will be easy to acquire.”

It’s uncertain how much annual revenue the county would directly receive from the complex. The development authority is negotiating that amount and is aiming for a guarantee of $100,000 to $300,000 annually to go to the county.

The consultant recommends the county raise its tourism tax by 2 percent to help pay for the project. That would raise the total bed tax to 5 percent — a prospect that several county Tourist Development Council members worry could negatively impact county hoteliers.

County taxpayers have already spent $450,000 toward the project as the development authority signed a licensing agreement with Big League Dreams in 2011.

Jeremy Coughlin of Green Cove Springs said that money should have been used to improve the county’s existing ballparks. The county also needs an ironclad guarantee it can recoup its losses if the project goes south, Coughlin said.

Others are excited about the prospect of having the complex in Clay County.

It would be a big positive for young local ballplayers, said Glen Thompson, president of the Orange Park Athletic Association.

“It would be nice to have a premier park in Clay County,” said Thompson, noting that his teams travel several times a season to a similar Lake City sports complex for tournaments.

Having the tournaments in Clay would benefit them and the county, he said. Thompson said Big League Dreams would spark other economic development such as hotels, which in turn would generate revenue for the county, he said.

The complex, however, might hurt some local associations by diverting tournaments away from their ballparks, said Heather Carroll, former vice president of the Tanglewood Athletic Association, where she was on its board for six years.

The county’s Parks and Recreation Department is responsible for maintenance and repairs at Clay’s 47 recreation facilities including 14 ballparks. Because its budget and manpower is stretched thin, the department prioritizes the repairs. Some athletic associations help fill in the gaps at the county-owned ballparks.

Athletic association concession sales help pay for some of the repairs or improvements the county can’t get to or afford immediately. In addition, some athletic associations also pay for their water or electricity use at the parks, Carroll said.

If the county goes ahead with Big League Dreams, then a good portion of revenue it generates should be used to improve other local parks, such as Tanglewood, Carroll said.

The Economic Development Committee, which issues recommendations to the full commission, meets at 2:30 p.m. Monday in the county Administration Building, 477 Houston St., Green Cove Springs.

Hey Clay! Cross the river and check out Patton Park and all the playing fields in St. Johns. You don't need a "national sports facility developer" to charge for the obvious. Anyway, "Big League"? Where have you been for 20 years, especially in soccer-rich Orange Park, Fleming Island. And now lacrosse. Baseball is still fun but far fewer kids play it. Hope the voters are smart on this one.

This not from the drinker of the Kool-Aide but the distributor. Let's see what happens when they actually get the Toll set up on this one section. And in the mean time the Shands Bridge which is beyond repair (according to the state) will wait another 5 to 10 years to be replaced with a Toll Bridge.

The only jobs created by this Toll Way are temporary construction jobs and more service jobs at fast food joints and convenience stores. But it certainly will help out the folks that can now build their asphalt plant. You think there might be any connection there?

Expanded tax base? Right! More houses and people that cost more than they pay. More roads the county has to take care of because the Commissioners in their infinite wisdom have virtually done away with impact fees.